


Hanging Out With Bad Influence

by plumerri



Category: High School Musical RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-21
Updated: 2009-12-21
Packaged: 2017-10-04 21:47:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plumerri/pseuds/plumerri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vanessa hangs out with a bad influence... No, really.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hanging Out With Bad Influence

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Selena Fromez (pretty_bad_idea)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pretty_bad_idea/gifts).



> Slightly inspired by Twilight, to my disappointment. Thank you to K for beta work.

**i**

"Look, I told you, I'm not in the mood." Vanessa waves away the tray that her mother has sent up. Her maid looks almost embarrassed and pleads with her mistress to at least take a bite at the bagels and sip the juice, but Vanessa will not give in. "I am not going to eat, Jenny! That's it!" She pushes the tray out of Jenny's clutch, and the plate of bagels falls onto the carpeted floor with a very loud crack as the china breaks into many small pieces.

Just like Vanessa's heart.

Too bad her mother is not here to witness another tantrum of Miss Hudgens.

~

Vanessa remembers the first day of school when the family was in Anaheim. It was all teasing because she was not a Caucasian, and that she spoke differently, and everything that she did was used against her. It was the most uncomfortable first day, and honestly, most of her first days have been as uncomfortable as that.

So it should not come as a surprise to anyone in the Hudgens household that Vanessa naturally dreads today too.

Today is no different from the other first days: she is starting a new term in a new high school in a new city where she knows nobody except for her sister, except that it doesn't count, because it's her _sister_, but she needs to comfort herself. It is hopefully her last first day, well, at least there is what her mother has promised her. She wipes away the teardrops that are flowing down her cheeks, and prays that at least when she gets back home her parents will be here to talk about her day.

~

"Miss Hudgens, here's your bag." Her maid holds out her bag, full of books that she will probably not read and notebooks she has no use for. Vanessa takes the bag, smiles at the maid (who looks a little alarmed, after the commotion Vanessa has caused during breakfast) and gets into the car. She clears her throat, and the driver turns around to nod, and the car drives off.

She does not want to get to school in a limousine, of course, because she learns from the hard way that she will attract two kinds of people: the desperate ones who try to suck your money away from you, and the jealous ones who will do _anything_ to make sure you stop getting what you want. Of course, after the whole attempted kidnap in San Francisco Mr Hudgens does not dare to even allow his eldest daughter (who is supposed to inherit the company) out of the bodyguard's sight. Poor Lex sometimes has to act as mediator between father and daughter, even.

The ride to school is uneventful, well, at least it is uneventful for something in LA. Or maybe that is just Vanessa's expectations. Ever since the family decides to move to LA, she always feels that something special will occur that day. Like, maybe she will meet Miley Cyrus while shopping. You know, the rich and famous. Not that she is not one herself, but it is not nice being called the dumbest brunette by TMZ. And she wants to be rich because of something she has done, not what her father does.

That is not very hard to look for, right?

~

The school building does not look friendly enough, but at least it is not run-down and derelict, but that does not mean it is good enough for Vanessa! "I don't understand why Daddy has to send me here," she thinks. She takes out the piece of paper she has printed the previous night that lists out what she needs to do here, and proceeds to the administrative office.

The office is… gray, just like everything else in this school, Vanessa figures. There is a bell on the doorknob and it rings when Vanessa pushes the door, which gives her a shock. She walks in and the very bored looking receptionist looks up, and mutters, "Yes, Miss, what are you looking for?"

Vanessa grimaces.

~

After twenty minutes of banal conversation with the Principal Vanessa has secured places into all the classes she wants (thanks to Daddy's influence, of course) but also an unintended company in the form of Zac Efron, who is the school's resident "eyes". "Anything you need, babe. Principal Grant asks me to take care of you."

Vanessa's eyes narrow at that claim, and instantly retorts, "_I_ should be the one taking care of you, Mister. Look at yourself!" She looks up and down at Efron, who has chosen to dress himself in knee-high boots and black nail polishes. "You think yourself as Adam Lambert?"

And Vanessa walks away, her own knee-high boots making a click-clack sound every time the heels make contact with the ground.

**ii.**

Zac is totally a school clown. A very popular one, even though he's totally not into sports except for recreational basketball. He is not into doing competitive sports except for swimming, but the school does not have an officially-sanctioned swim team so he's been swimming for his club. Other than that, everyone loves him. Really. Even in the cafeteria, when there are definitely lines dividing the room (albeit invisible, of course. What, you really think the school administration will be that dumb to paint on white lines?), Zac manages well both on the jocks side and the geeks side.

Not in the eyes of a certain Vanessa Hudgens, who has gone so far as to stub him! This has never happened in the history of Zac Efron (mind you, it's a rather long one), and thus, it _must be corrected_. Zac, in fact, has a plan.

~

Second day of school, Zac is still being "assigned" (no fault of Principal Grant, really, but more of Zac's insistent and effervescent nature) to Vanessa, and Vanessa has gotten lost for three times already, all because she's refused Zac's multiple offers of "Let me show you around the place!"

Zac sits with Chad and Lucas during lunch, wondering what have gone wrong, such that Vanessa is actually immune to Zac's charms.

"Maybe it's the whole _Twilight_ thing," Lucas suggests.

Chad snorts. "Oh please, Grabeel. Spare me that vampire nonsense."

Zac thinks for a while, while looking at his two best friends quarrelling. He thinks he has a plan.

~

He watches, as Vanessa comes out of the Spanish classroom, with a look in her eyes that says oh-my-god-I-hate-Spanish, and he ambles towards Vanessa's direction.

Vanessa does not see him, of course. (Or maybe she is avoiding him, hmm.)

"Hey there, gorgeous!" Vanessa turns around and snorts. "You know, someday I hope you will get it there not everyone likes you. Now excuse me, while I have to run for my Chemistry class!" She pushes him aside, but Zac has his hand firmly on Vanessa's arm.

"What are you going to do, then, Hudgens, if you're late for Chemistry?"

"I don't care, Zac Efron. Get the hell away from me!" She pushes Zac with all the power the weight of her shoulders and body could give, and Zac backs off, gracefully.

"Fine, princess. Have it your own way."

~

Their third encounter happens in the cafeteria, and involves a very large dry cleaning bill.

~

Zac sees that Vanessa has found herself a sidekick, Tisdale or Tilly, or whatever, and that makes him a little bit angry. Chad and Lucas just laugh it off, "So, Miss High-and-Mighty doesn't want to be your friend, Efron?" Zac growls, and observes the table at the corner of the cafeteria, where Vanessa is sitting with her new posse of followers, all who act and look like the crazy bitches on _Gossip Girl_. Zac's previous girlfriend loves the show so much, she calls Zac "Nate". Zac doesn't understand.

"I'm still thinking, Chad, something I don't think you had done in your life."

Chad throws his half-finished can of Dr Pepper at Zac, and some of the dark liquid sloshes out of the can, landing on Lucas and Zac. Both of them look dagger-eyed at Chad.

~

Zac does have a plan, something that involves a call to Vanessa's house and talking to her parents about a proposed school trip. After all, her parents are so damn stinking rich, they would probably not mind sponsoring some money to this school trip to Europe. They're probably going to visit London and Paris, and look at all the historical monuments.

It should work.

~

Before Zac is due for the Student Council meeting at four in the afternoon, he walks around the school for around twenty minutes, trying to waste time, before landing at the parking lot, because there's where Vanessa is standing. He spots her with her ridiculously looking expensive bag and her file, standing at the corner of the lot, maybe waiting for her parents? Or chauffeur, that's more like it.

He decides to venture a meeting.

"Hey." No stalkerish behavior, no weird pick-up lines.

"Oh, it's you." Zac can see the disgust on Vanessa's face, but he is going to change it.

"So, who are you waiting for? It's the end of the school day already!"

"Then what are _you_ doing in school?"

"Oh, I'm staying for student council meeting. Wanna join us?"

Vanessa looks more disgusted. "Eww, no, thanks."

"Fine."

"Do you mind going away?" Zac moves a little apart from Vanessa. Vanessa does the shooing motion until Zac is practically ten feet away from her, and Zac sighs.

"So be it, princess. See you!"

Results.

~

Zac is in Staples, the next day, for some mandatory stationery stock up, while Chad is next door looking at basketball shoes and Lucas is… somewhere in the mall looking at shoes too. Different kind of shoes. He pulls out his wallet, but then he spots Ashley and her gang of Hudgens-followers in the line.

"Oh, you know, Vanessa can't have the party at her house."

"What! She promised us!"

"I talk to her mum the other day… Accidentally. She was so angry with Vanessa, she grounded her!" Laughter cues.

"What's wrong with her mother?"

"Well her mother hates her, she hates her mother, it's so drama."

Zac turns away. So that is why Vanessa can't make new friends. It seems like Ashley and her gang are not really friends, huh?

**iii.**

Vanessa looks at her watch. She is definitely late for school, but who cares? Her mother does not care about her anymore, and she is so sick of everything. Jenny comes with with her uniform, ironed and all, but she throws it onto the bed.

Her phone buzzes.

_So princess u r skipping sch?_

She actually feels a little touched that he actually is still bothering her after all their previous antics. It has certainly scared away good-minded guys last times, but Efron is so persistent. She smiles.

_Who cares?_

Her phone buzzes again, and Vanessa supposes that Efron is on his way to class or something, because there is a no-cellphone in classroom rule.

_I do princess. Wanna go for a party tonite?_

Oh, whatever. She does not care, anymore.

_Sure thing. Pick me up at 8._

~

Vanessa ends up skipping school, because of reasons unknown to her (actually it is in defiance to her mother, but she would not say that). She spends the whole day checking Facebook and updating her Twitter and reading TMZ, hoping to get fashion tips for the party tonight. Well she doesn't know much about the party, but at least it's an attempt to socialize, she supposes.

And it is really nice of Zac Efron to keep inviting her to school events, from what she can see on Facebook. Ashley Tisdale and her gang of idiotic girls left her alone in the cafeteria yesterday because Vanessa can't host their annual sleepover. It's totally not her fault! She could have totally hosted the thing if only Ashley didn't call her mother.

Now her mother thinks that she is hanging out with bad influence.

She thinks so too.

~

She chooses a black dress, because it's simple, except that it's made of pleather, which she thinks that might match Zac's outfit, with what he has worn on the first day. Well, she is right, for Zac is wearing a leather jacket with dark jeans that actually make him look really cute. Not that Vanessa is entertaining the thought of going out with him, of course. They are just friends.

He puts her on the back of his bike, and they whiz past the houses with jokes from Zac and laughter from Vanessa.

~

The party is held at the house of a senior girl called Genevieve, whom Vanessa has never spoken to before but of course Zac knows. Everyone here seems to know who Zac is, really. Vanessa can't remember if she knows of anyone who is like him, so friendly and so popular, but maybe it is time for her to make a new friend. She cannot remember the last time she talks to anyone like a friend, but her constant moving doesn't help, too. Ugh, she needs to stop thinking about her family.

Zac has left her, in the kitchen, to get drinks for the both of them while he looks for Chad and Lucas, the two best friends of Zac. Vanessa has seen them before, but Zac wants to introduce her to them. "As friends, right?" Vanessa asks. "Of course!" Zac beams, and Vanessa's heart feels lighter.

She pulls out two red plastic cups from the plastic bag and scoops some punch into it, and then drinks a little. Deciding that it actually tastes nice and not plebeian, she scoops more into the two cups and carries it out into the living room, where there is _a lot of people_ and very loud music. Someone actually says hi to her, and she returns the courtesy even though it leaves her a little muddled as to who that someone is.

She spots Ashley kissing with a football player in the hallway, and gets really disgusted, but then she also spots two of the girls who hang out with Ashley.

"Oh my god, is she kissing Taylor?"

"He's my boyfriend! What a skunk!"

"Not as skunky as Hudgens, right? She came here with Efron. Word is that she seduced him, after pretending to ignore him."

"Oh, that's a real skunk."

"Or maybe Efron is just after her money!" The two girls giggle.

Vanessa suddenly feels really cold.

~

She walks home, in her heels, but she does not feel the pain. She does not understand. Why does no one like her? It's not as if she is bitchy, or proud or disgusting.

No one here likes her. Not even Efron, who abandoned her as soon as they arrived at the party.

**iv.**

Zac looks around, and double checks, and comes to one conclusion: Vanessa left the party. He asks around, and no one has seen her, but two girls say that Vanessa has left with another guy. _Oh right._ A leopard never changes its spots.

He decides to go home.

~

School is awkward, totally. Those who have been to the party think that Zac is going out with Vanessa, but Vanessa is refusing to talk to him, so Zac… Doesn't know what to do. Chad tells him to find out what happened that night, but no one has any ideas.

This is so awkward.

**v.**

Vanessa picks up the last of her dresses and stuffs them into her bag. She checks the schedule of planes leaving LAX already, and hopefully she can get one to New York, to meet her grandmother, who actually likes her, unlike that bastard Zac.

And those girls.

Oh, Los Angeles, you have not been kind to her, at all.

~

She updates her Facebook, and says that she's leaving LA. Immediately, three people from her old school like it, and some from her current school like it too.

So it's official. She's a public enemy.

~

Her phone buzzes, as she reaches the car that Jenny has rented. "Miss, it's a call for you."

"Ignore it."

"It's… Mrs Hudgens." Jenny looks terrified. Vanessa sighs, and takes the phone.

"Yes, mother? I'm leaving, and that's all you need to know."

Her mother makes some exasperated noises, and then says, "Why am I getting phone calls from a young man called Zac Efron who claims his innocence? I don't even know what is going on! Vanessa, you are not getting on that flight until I say so. Jenny will unpack your stuff."

~

Vanessa calls Zac.

"Hey. Why did you call my mother?"

There is a brief silence, before Zac answers. "I don't know, I was so scared that you might actually leave."

"Will you miss me?"

"What happened that night?"

"Why did you ask me out?" Vanessa decides that honesty is the best policy. There is another brief silence, followed by a very hesitant, "I like you?"

Vanessa laughs. "Oh, Zac. You are like, my first friend in LA and you're going to ruin it by confessing?"

**vii.**

Thirty minutes later, Zac is standing outside the gates of the Hudgens LA home (which is really big, really, really big, to Zac, who lives in a loft apartment), waiting for security to clear him. A blue BMW pulls up behind him, and a woman who looks suspiciously like Vanessa comes out.

"Are you Zac Efron, son?"

"Yes, mam."

"Thanks for calling me. I didn't realize my daughter was so lonely." She hugs Zac tightly, leaving Zac really bewildered.

The gates open, and Mrs Hudgens climbs back into her car, signaling Zac to follow along.

~

"I'm so sorry, Zac!" Vanessa clamors, and Zac just pretends that he is angry. They are in the back gardens, where Jenny has set up some chairs and snacks. But they are not really interested in that. They are having a lot, a lot of fun while Mrs Hudgens is swimming in the pool nearby. Vanessa has talked to her mother, and now their mother-daughter relationship is much better, thanks to Zac.

"Tell me again, how great I am, Vanessa."

"You're great. Greater than Alexander the Great."

"Good that you're paying attention in history lesson, then."

"Stop talking, Efron." And Vanessa bends down and kisses Zac. Zac puts his arms around Vanessa, and they sink into the lounge chair. Jenny smiles.


End file.
